The present invention relates to a high frequency treatment apparatus and particularly, to a high frequency treatment apparatus having a dissection (cutting) mode, a coagulation mode and a heating (ablation) mode.
A high frequency cautery apparatus which has heretofore been known is an apparatus by which a high frequency current is made to flow in biogenic tissues and thereby operations such as dissection (cutting), coagulation and the like are effected and has been used in a general surgical operation, an endoscopic surgical operation and the like. Development of a high frequency electrocautery apparatus (high frequency cautery apparatus) of a general type which can be adapted for various kinds of operative techniques has been progressed in company with advancement of operative techniques in recent years.
A high frequency electrocautery apparatus of a general type having a plurality of output modes in which output of a high frequency current can be changed according to a kind of operative technique has prevailed. The high frequency electrocautery apparatus effects an operation in a manner such that a high frequency cautery power source apparatus and an operative tool is connected to each other and high frequency power is supplied to an operative portion from the operative tool, wherein high frequency power supplied from the high frequency cautery power source apparatus has been required to be optimally controlled. Hence, as shown in the Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-229050, a method has been adopted in a monopolar mode in which an output current which is supplied from a high frequency cautery power source apparatus for electrosurgery and a return current which returns are detected and compared with each other. In this way, a leakage current is indirectly detected and an impedance between an output terminal and return terminal of the high frequency cautery power source apparatus is detected. In a bipolar mode, a method has been adopted in which a temperature sensor is provided at the fore-end of an electrode and a temperature of the tissue surface is detected by the sensor. High frequency power which is supplied from the high frequency cautery power source apparatus has been optimally controlled based on such information described above.
On the other hand, as shown in Jpn. Pat. No. 2647557 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,110, an apparatus has been proposed in which not only is treatment energy directly applied to a target tissue, but an ablation treatment (hereinafter referred to as heating treatment) which correctly destroys the target tissue while minimizing an influence on peripheral tissues can be performed. This heat treatment apparatus can realize a treatment with a low adverse influence on the peripheral portion. In the device, for example, not only is high frequency power with small energy of the order of 10 W at a frequency of 482 KHz applied to an operative portion, but biogenic information of the peripheral portion such as temperature is detected, and thereby excessive heating of the peripheral tissues is prevented from occurring and the target tissues are correctly destroyed.
However, with a conventional high frequency electrocautery apparatus in use, since for example, high frequency power of a magnitude up to 300 W at a high frequency of 30 KHz to 1 MHz is applied to an operative portion to perform operations such as dissection, coagulation and the like, an influence on the peripheral tissues cannot be avoided. Besides, even when a small magnitude of high frequency power is set, since it is difficult that high frequency power is controlled so as to be necessary, proper energy for heat treatment with certainty and accuracy, there arises a problem that a heat treatment cannot be performed with safety and certainty.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a high frequency treatment apparatus by which a heat treatment (ablation) of a biogenic tissue can be performed with safety and certainty together with operations such as dissection (cutting), coagulation and the like.
The object of the present invention is achieved by a high frequency treatment apparatus which will be described below.
That is, a high frequency treatment apparatus of the invention comprises:
a high frequency generation section for supplying high frequency power;
a control section, which is connected to the high frequency generation section, and which controls output of the high frequency generation section, having
a first control mode in which the maximal output value of high frequency power supplied from the high frequency generation section is confined to be equal to or less than a first predetermined value, and
a second control mode in which the maximal output value of high frequency power supplied from the high frequency generation section is confined to be equal to or less than a second predetermined value which is less than the first predetermined value;
a treatment tool, which is connected to the high frequency generation section, and which performs a treatment of a diseased part by supplying high frequency power from the high frequency generation section controlled by the control section to the diseased part; and
a control mode setting section, which is connected to the control section, for selecting one of the first and second control modes.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.